1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to electrical connectors and more particularly to a fuse adapter terminal which permits auxiliary circuits to be connected to fuse holders of the type having a pair of spaced-apart spring clips which receive the ends of cylindrical fuses.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Fuse blocks are usually employed in equipment, such as motor vehicles, for example, where a single source of electrical energy is employed to energize a number of different load circuits. The fuse block contains a fuse holder for each of the load circuits in the vehicle. Each fuse holder comprises a pair of spaced-apart spring clips which function as electrical terminals. One clip of each fuse holder is connected to the vehicle generator and/or battery while the other clip is connected to the load circuit being energized. The fuses which are customarily employed comprise a circular cylindrical glass envelope containing a metal fuse element which is connected to circular cylindrical metal caps which seal the ends of the envelope. The metal end caps of the fuse are concentrically disposed within the metal spring clips so that the ends of each fuse are both mechanically supported by and electrically connected to the spring clips.
The fuse blocks in present-day motor vehicles generally are designed to accomodate only a limited number of load circuits. The number of circuits or fuses is usually determined by the standard electrical equipment on the vehicle and the number of optional electrical accessories available from the manufacturer or dealer. It frequently happens, however, that the owner of the vehicle decides to add additional electrical equipment and finds that there are no fuse holders available for making the electrical connection between the new equipment and the vehicle power supply. For example, when the vehicle owner purchases citizen's band radio equipment, the CB unit must be connected to the vehicle generator and/or battery. The CB unit is usually provided with a power lead which may or may not be separately fused. This lead is often provided with a standard female electrical connector which is intended to be used with the male spade connectors found on the vehicle fuse blocks. When all of the fuse holders of the fuse block are being utilized for existing vehicle equipment, the CB owner must improvise an electrical connection which usually involves stripping wires and making a soldered or spliced connection.
In order to avoid this problem, so-called fuse adapter terminals are utilized to permit the female connector of the auxiliary circuit to be connected directly to one of the fuse holders in the fuse block. In one known type of fuse adapter terminal, a substantially U-shaped "cap" of electrically conductive, resilient material is placed on top of one of the spring clips in the fuse holder. The cap is designed to enclose the free ends of the spring clip and each leg of the cap is provided with a detent which engages the projecting tab on the ends of the spring clip to lock the cap in place. This type of adapter terminal suffers from the disadvantage that the adapter terminal itself must be removed from the spring clip of the fuse holder each time that the fuse is replaced. In another known type of fuse adapter terminal, a male spade connector having a curved "ear" or projection on one end thereof is inserted between the metal end cap of the fuse and one side of the spring clip. The curved ear of the adapter terminal is held in place by the frictional contact between the fuse cap and the one side of the spring clip. Accordingly, this arrangement suffers from the disadvantage that the adapter terminal falls out of place when the fuse is removed and consequently must be replaced each time the fuse is replaced.